Shoe-lace fastener.



No. 675,!52. Pafented May 28, I90l.

.|.-A. FREY. SHOE LACE FASTENEB.

' (Application al a kg. 25, 1901.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFEIQE.

JACOB A. FREY, on ST. Louis, MISSOURI.

SHOE-*LAdl-I FASTEN ER.

- SPEGIFIOATION'formIng part of Letters Patent No. 675,152, dated May28, 1901.

Application filed February 25; 1901. $erial No. 48,684. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JACOB A. FREY, of the city of St. Louis, in theState of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improve,

ments in Shoe-Lace Fasteners, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to shoe-lace fasteners and it consists of thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinaftershown, described, and claimed.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved shoe-lacefastener which shall hold the lace more securely than fastenersheretofore provided.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion ofa shoe having my improved fastener applied thereto. Fig. 2 is asectional side elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3of Fig. 2.

Fig. at is a perspective view with the jaws broken apart to more clearlyshow the interior construction.

Myimproved fastener is composed of a pair of spring-jaws 1 and 2, whichare free at their outer ends and provided thereat with a flaring passage3, so that the shoe lace may readily be entered between said jaws, andsaid jaws are connected at their ends opposite said passage by a stoutribbon-spring 4. This spring 4 is preferably formed integral with thesaid jaws, but may of course in some instances be formed separately andsecured to said jaws by means of rivets, solder, or other fasteningdevice. This form of spring possesses, as I have found, great strengthand so securely urges the jaws toward each other as to clamp theshoe-lace against accidental detachment. Furthermore, I have found thisform of spring permanently retains its power. The entire device ispreferably made of toolsteel.

The inner jaw 1 may be secured to the leather in any known manner. Forinstance,

it may be provided with a shank-5, which is inserted in an apertureinthe leather and its outer end upset or riveted upon a washer 6. Theinner surface of the said jaws is preferably formed with a series oflongitudinallyextending corrugations 7, so that the corrugations of onejaw intermesh with those of the opposite jaw, whereby the shoe-lace willbe compelled to traverse a more tortuous passage and thereby be moresecurely retained. Such construction of the jaws also prevents unduelateral movement of the same.

In placing the shoe-lace between the jaws undue longitudinal movement ofthe outer jaw is prevented by means of a stop, which will now bedescribed.

A pair of projections 8 are formed on the inner jaw at the inner end ofsaid corrugations, and there is a curved depression between saidprojections. The opposite jaw is provided with a curved projection 9,which is normally located in said curved depression.

Theoperation of the device is obvious and need not further be describedexcept to state that the inward movement of the shoe-lace is limited bycontact with the projections 8 andi}.

What I claim is- 1. An improved shoe-lace fastener, comprising a pair ofopposing jaws connected at one end by a flat spring, longitudinalintermeshing corrugations 7 in said jaws to increase the friction-gripof the jaws, a lateral stop projecting from one of said jaws, and meansfor securing the device to a shoe, substantially as specified.

2. An improved shoe-lace fastener, comprising a pair of opposing jawsconnected at one end by a flat spring, longitudinal intermeshingcorrugations in said jaws, intermeshing lateral stops projecting fromsaid jaws, and means for securing the device to a shoe, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof 'I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

" JACOB A. FREY.

Witnesses:

ALFRED A. EICKS, JOHN C. HIGDON.

